Coalition for Queens

We’re supporting Coalition for Queens (C4Q), a nonprofit using technology to transform the world’s most diverse community into a leading hub for innovation and entrepreneurship through free computer programming education.

The technology industry in New York City is growing dramatically and offering its workers highly lucrative salaries. However, the considerable growth has not translated into employment opportunities for those New Yorkers who don’t have access to the training and resources required to pursue them.

To address this opportunity, Coalition for Queens (C4Q) offers free computer programming education, through a competitive selection process, to low-income, diverse adults in New York City.

Over the course of 10 months, participants gain a comprehensive understanding of the computer programming and software development process and acquire skills – both hard and soft – to secure a technical job in the industry.

C4Q’s program aims to place graduates in apprenticeships and full-time entry level software engineering positions at tech companies, help their alumni move out of poverty and into the middle class; and help facilitate the creation of a demographically diverse tech industry, reflective of the local community with full representation across gender, ethnicity, and socio-economic backgrounds.

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We are thrilled to work with Coalition for Queens to create opportunity through tech in BlackRock’s own backyard, and my hometown, New York City. C4Q’s innovative approach to empower anyone – regardless of their ethnicity, gender, and background – to participate in the tech economy mirrors our own commitment to build better financial futures for underserved communities.